Black Clover Volume 8 by Yuki Tabata

 

Black Clover Volume 8

192 Pages | 2017

Summary: In a world of magic, Asta, a boy with anti-magic powers, will do whatever it takes to become the Wizard King!

Asta is a young boy who dreams of becoming the greatest mage in the kingdom. Only one problem—he can't use any magic! Luckily for Asta, he receives the incredibly rare five-leaf clover grimoire that gives him the power of anti-magic. Can someone who can't use magic really become the Wizard King? One thing's for sure—Asta will never give up!

As Asta and the Black Bulls continue their search for the magic stone in the Underwater temple, they are blindsided by Vetto of the Eye of the Midnight Sun. Can the rowdy Black Bulls work together to take down this fearsome foe?

Review: Outside of the main high stakes fight, which honestly is a very good one overall in the grand scheme of the manga's fights in general. Finral gets some awesome character development and a courage boost, plus we even get more of his background! His and his brother's backstory are some of my favorite written backstories throughout the manga. Vanessa also gets a chance to shine. Without the teamwork Asta, Finral, and Vanessa show, I truly believe they would have no chance. But see for yourself just how tough a foe they face this time. 

Black Clover Volume 7 by Yuki Tabata

 

Black Clover Volume 7

200 Pages | 2017

Summary: In a world of magic, Asta, a boy with anti-magic powers, will do whatever it takes to become the Wizard King!

Asta is a young boy who dreams of becoming the greatest mage in the kingdom. Only one problem—he can't use any magic! Luckily for Asta, he receives the incredibly rare five-leaf clover grimoire that gives him the power of anti-magic. Can someone who can't use magic really become the Wizard King? One thing's for sure—Asta will never give up!

After the battle with the Eye of the Midnight Sun, the Wizard King suspects that there might be a traitor among the Magic Knights. But who is it, and how can Asta help expose the crooked knight?

Review: The summary makes me not want to spoil anything, but I will say the "quest" to uncover this crooked knight is a very entertaining one to read, especially the very end. There may be more than just a crooked knight alone to uncover. Furthermore, in the aftermath, the story lightens up for some time and Noelle gets some much needed assistance in learning to control her magic from a girl she meets at the beach. With the faith of her friends and the help of a new friend, does she have what it takes? I guess you'll have to see for yourself! I enjoy this volume a lot as well for its character development and because of Page 50 very specifically. 

Black Clover Volume 6 by Yuki Tabata

 

Black Clover Volume 6

200 Pages | 2017

Summary: In a world of magic, Asta, a boy with anti-magic powers, will do whatever it takes to become the Wizard King!

Asta is a young boy who dreams of becoming the greatest mage in the kingdom. Only one problem—he can't use any magic! Luckily for Asta, he receives the incredibly rare five-leaf clover grimoire that gives him the power of anti-magic. Can someone who can't use magic really become the Wizard King? One thing's for sure—Asta will never give up!

Asta’s vacation is anything but rest and relaxation when children start disappearing all around him. But in order to take down the kidnappers, Asta will have to team up with Gauche, a mage who hates his guts!

Review: This is probably my favorite early on volume. The eye of the midnight sun returns, and we get to see Captain Yami fight for real. Not to mention, my favorite antagonists from the eye of the midnight sun appear for the first time and we get to see them in action as well. And at the very end we get to meet one of my favorite "side characters." This volume is a 10/10.

Black Clover Volume 5 by Yuki Tabata

 

Black Clover Volume 5

192 Pages | 2017

Summary: In a world of magic, Asta, a boy with anti-magic powers, will do whatever it takes to become the Wizard King!

Asta is a young boy who dreams of becoming the greatest mage in the kingdom. Only one problem—he can't use any magic! Luckily for Asta, he receives the incredibly rare five-leaf clover grimoire that gives him the power of anti-magic. Can someone who can't use magic really become the Wizard King? One thing's for sure—Asta will never give up!

The mysterious terrorist group calling itself the Eye of the Midnight Sun has been repelled from the Clover Kingdom, but the damage done is great. One of the Magic Knight captains has been gravely injured and Asta's been kidnapped. How will the Wizard King respond...?

Review: We really get to see the Wizard King in action for the first time here, and it goes to show just how strong he is. It's an important moment for the reader to see because the title has been raised to a very high podium up to this point. We can really start to see why thanks to this volume. I would continue, but in order to keep the experience fresh for a first reader, I'll stop at that! Asta may have some main character protections, but I wouldn't want to spoil if anything does or doesn't happen to him by moving right along in the story. 

Black Clover Volume 4 by Yuki Tabata

 

Black Clover Volume 4

184 Pages | 2016

Summary: In a world of magic, Asta, a boy with anti-magic powers, will do whatever it takes to become the Wizard King!

Asta is a young boy who dreams of becoming the greatest mage in the kingdom. Only one problem—he can't use any magic! Luckily for Asta, he receives the incredibly rare five-leaf clover grimoire that gives him the power of anti-magic. Can someone who can't use magic really become the Wizard King? One thing's for sure—Asta will never give up!

Complete chaos has broken out as the Clover Kingdom capital comes under attack by a group of mysterious terrorists. Asta and the other Magic Knights join the fight in order to protect the innocent civilians, but what exactly are the terrorists after?

Review: This whole volume is high stakes to the very end and Yuki Tabata makes sure you are aware of it. This volume is action-packed and ends at a point where I imagine most people would want to immediately pick up the next volume. 

Black Clover Volume 3 by Yuki Tabata

 

Black Clover Volume 3

192 Pages | 2016

Summary: In a world of magic, Asta, a boy with anti-magic powers, will do whatever it takes to become the Wizard King!

Asta is a young boy who dreams of becoming the greatest mage in the kingdom. Only one problem—he can't use any magic! Luckily for Asta, he receives the incredibly rare five-leaf clover grimoire that gives him the power of anti-magic. Can someone who can't use magic really become the Wizard King? One thing's for sure—Asta will never give up!

Asta and his teammates were ready for trouble when they were sent into a magical dungeon full of traps, but going up against the Diamond Kingdom may be too much for them to handle. Even Yuno couldn’t stand up to Mars and his mineral magic—does Asta have a chance...?!

Review: This volume finishes up the major battle between Asta and Yuno vs Mars (a Diamond Kingdom Mage), and afterwards we get to meet the one and only current Wizard King for the very first time! We get to see just what kind of person is able to hold that weighty title. In the last half of this volume we get a very clear look at the outlook nobles and royals have on commoners, even ones that have made it into the magic knights. There is a very clear divide of perspective and treatment. I would almost call this volume a transitional volume. Between wrapping up the conflict introduced in Volume 2 and introducing the major high stakes situation that will take up Volume 4, I would say this volume's biggest focus was further world building. Having the reader experience through Asta how nobles speak about and treat those of lesser standing, Yuki Tabata can better layout the current classist mindset the Clover Kingdom overall currently has. Another hurdle for both Asta and Yuno to overcome.

Black Clover Volume 2 by Yuki Tabata

 Black Clover Volume 2

192 Pages | 2016

Summary: In a world of magic, Asta, a boy with anti-magic powers, will do whatever it takes to become the Wizard King!

Asta is a young boy who dreams of becoming the greatest mage in the kingdom. Only one problem—he can't use any magic! Luckily for Asta, he receives the incredibly rare five-leaf clover grimoire that gives him the power of anti-magic. Can someone who can't use magic really become the Wizard King? One thing's for sure—Asta will never give up!

On the orders of the Wizard King, Asta and his allies head to a mysterious dungeon to retrieve a powerful relic. When mages from a rival country show up, however, this mission turns into an all-out battle. Can Asta lead his team to the win?

Review: For the sake of avoiding spoilers, I will give a more generalized review than the one for volume 1. I feel Volume 2 both introduces us to new characters (We get a look into some of Yuno's squadmates.) which will be important moving forward and brings up issues that go beyond the Clover Kingdom. We are introduced to the Diamond Kingdom in this volume which really opens up the world further to the reader. It also introduces other potential conflicts that may pop up in the future for Asta and the Clover Kingdom as a whole. One big strength I feel Yuki Tabata has with writing is that he is great at building up an antagonist or group that will counter our protagonists.

The Song of the Blue Bottle Tree by India Hayford

 

The Song of the Blue Bottle Tree 

353 Pages | 2025

Summary: Disguised by years in exile and a name she found on a gravestone, an unconventional young woman returns to her childhood home in rural 1967 Arkansas in this hauntingly visceral Southern tale of desperate choices, found family, folk magic and noisy ghosts.

Genevieve Charbonneau talks to ghosts and has a special relationship with rattlesnakes. In her travels, she’s wandered throughout the South, working in a Louisiana circus and as a hootchy kootch dancer in Texas. Now for the first time in a decade, she’s allowed her winding path to bring her to the site of her grandmother’s Arkansas farmhouse, a place hallowed in her memory.

Disguised by years in exile and a name she found on a gravestone, Genevieve intends only to visit briefly and leave. But a chance meeting with a guilt-ridden young Vietnam veteran draws her into more unexpected connections. Her hard-won independence inspires an abused woman and her daughters to find their own path to empowerment, and a hypocritical preacher is brought to a long-deserved reckoning.

With undertones of magical realism and dark humor, here is a powerful story of discovering—and sometimes rediscovering—one’s place in the world, and the unexpected challenges and gifts that present themselves along the way.

Review: Wow. This book had me hooked from the beginning. Hayford's writing is incredible and the way she so seamlessly shifts POV's throughout the story is admirable. It's no easy feat and she is a master at slipping in important details casually throughout. Honestly, I may have myself a new favorite writer! I hear there may be a book II coming out in 2026 and I will absolutely be purchasing it. 

Black Clover Volume 1 by Yuki Tabata

 Black Clover Volume 1

192 Pages | 2016

Summary: In a world of magic, Asta, a boy with anti-magic powers, will do whatever it takes to become the Wizard King!

Asta is a young boy who dreams of becoming the greatest mage in the kingdom. Only one problem—he can't use any magic! Luckily for Asta, he receives the incredibly rare five-leaf clover grimoire that gives him the power of anti-magic. Can someone who can't use magic really become the Wizard King? One thing's for sure—Asta will never give up!

Young Asta was born with no magic ability in a world where magic is everything. In order to prove his strength and keep a promise with his friend, Asta dreams of becoming the greatest mage in the land, the Wizard King!

Review: To start with, this manga and the anime would fall into the Shonen genre category which tends to include exciting battles, high-stakes situations, overcoming adversity, emphasizing the importance of team work, additions of light-hearted humor, and in this case, fantasy based world building due to the magic systems of this world. I have watched the entire anime before going back to read through the manga in order to spot any differences, and to look through the original work. Black Clover Volume 1's first page showcases a high stakes moment in the past of the Clover Kingdom in which instated the position of "Wizard King." With that one page alone, its clear that earning this title is a heavy commitment and furthermore a difficult achievement, given that the first Wizard King saved Humankind from being decimated by demons. Based on the summary, it's clear this will be the title our main character, Asta, strives for. We learn about Asta's hometown and his rival, Yuno, and it quickly becomes clear that they are opposites for each other. Asta is magicless, rather loud and boisterous. Yuno is gifted in magic, and is quiet and "cool." This leaves a good dynamic, because even though from an outsider's perspective, Yuno's talent is unreachable to Asta, Yuno respects Asta just as much as Asta respects him. They both take their goal to become the wizard king seriously and motivate each other to improve by their own means. This volume has in total what I would consider three highest stakes moments. Not to mention, the third is Asta's first encounter, unknowingly, with the major antagonist that will be building in the background for many volumes to come. We are left off in the middle of this highest stakes moment as an incentive to pick up the next volume, which is a good strategy for keeping readers going.

This book sets up the setting, the character's starting points, and even sets up the antagonists early on. It's a great volume 1, and if you or someone you know is wanting to get into a new Shonen manga, I would highly recommend giving the series a try.